Gas cylinder unit for guns



Feb- 1 1944. c. E. BALLElsl-:N 2,340,293

GAS lCYL'JNDER UNIT FOR GUNS Filed Nov. 5, 1941 'III' m4 INVENToR l V Charles E EallEEET'L BY Patented Feb. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 2 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Goverment for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to automatic guns in general and in particular to an element for regulating power input into a gas cylinder.

it has been noted that automatic guns although carefully regulated will, after a certain number of red rounds, perform erratically. This is no doubt due to a variety of causes, but it has been found that compensation may be readily elected by providing for control of the input of the power which motivates the automatic action.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide for regulation of the input of power into the automatic action of guns.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational View in axial section of the muzzle end of a gun.

Figure 2- is a. section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevational view in axial section of a modification of a gas cylinder lock screw.

Figure 4 is a left side view of the lock screw of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, there is shown a gun barrel I and a gas cylinder 2 supported on the barrel by an upper loop 3 which also carries the front sight 4. A piston 5 in the cylinder transmits gas pressure to the automatic mechanism at the breach (not shown). A retaining nut 3 is threadedly attached to the barrel as at l, and carries an extension 8 to cover the end of the gas cylinder 2.

A regulating sleeve 9 having splines I0 is received in the gas cylinder 2, which is provided with channels to receive the splines, the upper one aligned with an oversized gas port II in the barrel l. In the sleeve 9 are openings I2, I3, Ill, i5 of varying size for alignment selectively with the gas port I l to modify the eiilux of gases from the barrel. Conveniently these ports are shown as located in the splines, but they may be located elsewhere on the sleeve provided the splines or other holding means are so located as to align the sleeve ports with the barrel port as desired.

It is desirable to support the sleeve 9 against the gas pressures, and to this end an extremity is turned in as at I6 and placed under a radial pressure by means of a plug I1 with a bevelled basal perimeter I8. For this purpose, peripheral expansion is permitted by a slot I9 in the sleeve 9. In order to support the inner end of sleeve y9 against collapse, complementary bevels 20 are provided on the end of the sleeve 9 and the end of the piston tube 49 respectively.

The plug I1 is provided with a recess 2|, here shown as square in section, for insertion of a turning tool. The plug may also be equipped with spanner holes.

To regulate, the plug Il is removed. The sleeve 9 can then be slid out of the gas cylinder 2, rotated to the desired position and reinserted,-fol lowed by replacement of the plug I'I.

In the modication of Figures 3, 4 and 5 the regulating means is carried by a plug 22 which will be carried in a lock nut similar to nut 6 of Figure 1. This regulating means will operate conversely to the type shown Iin Fig. 1 in that regulation is obtained by varying the sizes of ports, permitting escape of the gases to the atmosphere. Plug 22 has a through opening comprising an axial portion 23 countersunk as at 24 to provide for a form of tool insert, and a sloping inner portion 25. A regulating disk 26 having sized openings 21, 28, 29, 30 is carried on the inner face of the plug 22 by means of bent spring tongues 3| received in grooves 32 in. the plug 22. The tongues and grooves are so located as to bring one of the sized openings in front of the face of the through passage in the plug. An opening is shown for each position of the disk.

To adjust the regulator of Figure 3 it is but necessary to remove the plug 22, slip olf the disk 2G, replace the disk in the desired position and replace the plug.

I'claim:

1. A gas port regulator for use with a gun barrel having a gas port therein, said regulator comprising a cylinder having a port adapted for registry with said gas port, a ring in the cylinder provided with peripherally spaced ports of different sizes, means for positioning the ports in the ring selectively in registry with the port in the cylinder and to prevent the ring from turning, said means comprising coacting splines and grooves on the cylinder and on the ring compelling withdrawal of the ring for resetting.

2. A gas port regulator for use with a gun barrel having a gas port therein, comprising a cylinder having a port adapted for registry with said gas port, a ring in the cylinder provided with peripherally spaced ports of different sizes, means for positioning the ring ports selectively in registry with the port in the cylinder, means for preventing the ring from turning, and means for reinforcing the ring against inward pressure of the gases, said means comprising a closure plug having a bevelled end in the cylinder and a bevelled inturned end of the ring coacting with the bevelled end vof the plug.

CHARLES E. BAILEISEN, 

